Support is available from Emergency Recovery Victoria to help people recover after the October 2022 Victorian floods.
The clean-up program is available in all local council areas on the list of natural disaster declarations.
Structural Assessment
We offer free structural assessments for property owners whose structures have been damaged by the Victorian floods.
These assessments are done by independent qualified contractors and aim to identify hazards like asbestos or mould.
At the end of the assessment, we provide a report that includes:
- information about any damage, including whether the structure if dangerous to live in or use
- if there are any hazards like asbestos or electrical dangers
- whether the structure is eligible for extra support under the program.
Structural assessment reports can be used to:
- provide information to insurance providers or builders
- contract demolition and repair work
- find out if you are eligible to have any hazards removed.
Register for a free structural assessment
Extra support to manage structures
After the structural assessment is completed, property owners may be eligible for extra support, including make-safe works or demolition and the Homes at Homes program.
Make-safe
We can provide make-safe works for residential and small business structures that are:
- uninsured
- deemed repairable through our structural assessment.
Make-safe works remove hazards found during the structural assessment, so it is safe to start any flood repairs.
Make-safe works are not:
- a general clean up
- a mucking out, or
- removal of non-hazardous waste.
Demolition
We can remove residential and small business structures that are not deemed repairable through the structural assessment.
This is a free and optional service for:
- eligible property owners
- property owners who have had a structural assessment.
Offering this service to eligible property owners means they can focus their efforts and resources on rebuild.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management
All properties registered for site works under the clean-up program are assessed for cultural heritage.
We use cultural heritage databases, mapping programs and the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register during the initial stages of the assessment.
Sites potentially containing items of cultural heritage then undergo a physical site assessment.
If an area is thought to contain items of cultural significance, this starts talks with Traditional Owners.
All site supervisors also undergo inductions on the Aboriginal Cultural Management processes. The inductions have been developed in consultation with local Traditional Owners and are adapted to the local area.
Parks Victoria
We are working with Parks Victoria to clean-up and repair flood-damaged parks. We offer a streamlined approach to clean-up by bringing our:
- experience
- resources, and
- capability.
This improves efficiency and delivers value for money for Victorians.
As of April 2023, Parks Victoria reopened or partially reopened 90% of flood and storm affected parks. You can find up to date information on park openings on the Parks Victoria .
Previous work
Street Debris Removal
The Street Debris Removal program focused on collection of flood debris and waste from state government land.
We supported local councils with flood debris and waste collection in the months following the event, providing logistical support and collecting debris and waste.
Councils are responsible for waste management in their region and led the collection program, by telling residents about collection in their area.
We provided logistical support and collected debris and waste, then took this to an appropriate waste management facility.
Residents still needing help should contact their local council for information about:
- waste collection in their area
- appropriate disposal of waste at waste management facilities.
Disaster Relief Australia
We worked with Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) to coordinate volunteers to help “muck-out” flooded homes.
Dubbed ‘Operation Mactier’, their work assisted community members to access clean-up services including:
- removing debris such as sludge left by floodwaters from inside a structure
- moving flood-damaged household items to the kerbside for collection.
Since the operation began on 21st of October 2022, DRA placed more than 785 volunteers into the field. Operation Mactier concluded on 1 March 2023.
Downloadable fact sheets
Clean up program
Structural assessment
Reviewed 11 August 2023